Episode 363: The Natural - Robert Redford, Baseball Mythology, and Art as ActivismRobert Redford's death prompts a deep dive into his career, from founding the Sundance Film Institute to playing a Hydra villain in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Matthew and Paul Hoppe explore how The Natural serves as American mythology, examining what baseball reveals about heroism, economics, and the nature of sports fandom.In This Episode:

• How did Robert Redford shape independent filmmaking through Sundance?
• What makes The Natural function as American mythology rather than just a sports movie?
• Why was Redford's casting in Marvel's Winter Soldier symbolically important for superhero cinema?
• Can athletes be both mercenaries and heroes?
• What does baseball fandom reveal about parasocial relationships and entitlement?
• How do economic realities shape player loyalty and fan expectations?
• What's the difference between loving the game and treating it as a job?

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